1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to differential amplifiers and, more particularly, to analog-to-digital converter systems that include such amplifiers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The usefulness of a variety of signal conditioning systems is dependent upon accurate signal processing. For example, pipelined analog-to-digital converter systems are typically formed with a plurality of converter stages that are serially connected to thereby convert an analog input signal to a corresponding digital output word. All but the last of these converter stages convert a respective portion of the input signal to at least one corresponding digital bit of the output word and pass a residue signal to a succeeding converter stage for determination of additional digital bits of the output word.
The residue signal is often generated with an amplifier and a set of capacitors that are switched in a first operational mode to receive an electrical charge from a preceding converter stage and switched in a second operational mode to transfer this charge to capacitors coupled between the amplifier's input and output. The accuracy of these charge-reception and charge-transfer processes has often been degraded by deficiencies in the amplifier's operational parameters (e.g., gain, input impedance, and common-mode output level).